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Program Change: P01348

Program Title: Integrated Science Teacher Education Major
Undergraduate
Describe the proposed degree program change(s) in terms of how the changes differ from the program as currently approved and published in the latest WOU catalog (specify the latest catalog date).
Summary of Changes/Justification Statement: The curriculum change proposed herein focuses on the science content portion of the Integrated Science Teacher Education Major. The proposed curriculum change will positively impact Integrated Science Teacher Education majors, who plan on teaching general science and/or physical science at the middle and high school level. The main reason that we are proposing to update the Integrated Science degree is that it is woefully out of date. The current degree structure dates back to 1998 when the major appears to have been last modified, based on a review of historical catalogs. The Education core for middle and high school level pre-Education majors was updated in 2010-11, so this proposal only focuses on the science content portion of the Integrated Science degree. Aside from the pressing need for modification owing to the out-of-date nature of the degree, there are several more specific reasons why this degree needs to be revised. First, several classes in the current degree are either not offered at WOU any longer (e.g., GS 314), or are no longer appropriate for this degree (e.g., BI 331 and ES 450). Also, there are a number of new courses or significantly updated courses offered by Natural Science faculty members hired since 1998 that would greatly enhance the preparation of future middle and high school level science educators (e.g., BI 361, BI 370, BI 441, CH 361, CH 412, ES 341, ES 354, ES 454, ES 473, and ES 491). Secondly, the updated Integrated Science Teacher Education major is aligned with current Oregon science standards (http://www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/subjects/science/curriculum/ 2009_adopted_k-h_science_standards_updated(11.13).pdf). Additionally, the coursework is consistent with competency requirements for middle and high school level science educators developed by the National Science Teachers Association (http://www.nsta.org/preservice/docs/SecondaryScienceContentAnalysisForm.pdf). The revised Integrated Science degree incorporates the following new aspects: -The full ES 200 series (Principles of Geology) is included in the major. Requiring a full year of 200-level Geology is consistent with the other science disciplines (Biology, Chemistry, and Physics) and aligns with NSTA competency requirements. -GS 314 (Classroom and Laboratory Resources in Science) and ES 351 (Geology for Educators) are removed from the degree, because these courses are no longer offered on a regular basis. -Math 112 has been moved out of the body of the major and is now stipulated as part of the Math and Computer Science General Education requirements listed in the notes portion of the degree structure. In addition to Math 112, B.S. degree students will also need to complete CS 195 and Math 243, and B.A. students will need to complete CS 122 and the foreign language requirement. These required courses are consistent with the Math and Computer Science General Education requirements indicated in the catalog. It is acceptable practice to list these degree requirements in the notes section rather than list them in the body of the major (for example, Art, Business, Chemistry, Economics, Psychology, and Theatre). -The list of potential upper-division courses that students can take in Biology, Chemistry, and Earth Science has been enhanced. For electives, students will be able to choose two additional courses from one of these content areas, with the objective of providing additional background in Biology, Chemistry, or Earth Science. The revised list of upper-division courses takes advantage of existing WOU science courses that are most appropriate for middle and high school level educators. -The mission statement and learning outcomes have been updated to make them more consistent with the standards and competencies from professional teacher¿s organizations such as NSTA and Oregon TSPC.

Describe the reasons for making this change:
Current Catalog Description (from page 62 of the 13-14 catalog): Integrated science teacher education major (64-66 credits) CH 221, 222, 223 General Chemistry (15) Choose one sequence: (12) PH 201, 202, 203 General Physics PH 211, 212, 213 General Physics with Calculus ES 331 Introduction to Oceanography (3) ES 351 Geology for Educators (3) ES 390 Basic Meteorology (3) MTH 112 Elementary Functions (4) GS 314 Classroom and Laboratory Resources in Science (2) GS 351 Elements of Astronomy (3) Choose one: (4) ES 431 Paleobiology ES 450 Introduction to Petrology ES 453 Geology of the Pacific Northwest Choose one: (3) CH 310 Geochemistry CH 320 Introduction to Forensic Science CH 360 Nuclear Chemistry CH 371 Environmental Chemistry Choose one: (4-5) BI 321 Systematic Field Botany BI 331 General Microbiology BI 357 General Ecology Upper-division electives in science (8-9) Courses must be approved by your science advisor BI 211, 212, 213 must be completed as part of the LACC requirement in the natural sciences and mathematics. BA/BS: MTH 111 College Algebra. Proposed Catalog Description: INTEGRATED SCIENCE Professors: Adele Schepige, Jeffrey Templeton Mission The Integrated Science Teacher Education major prepares and trains students to become effective middle and high school teachers in the areas of general science, physical science, and Earth and space science. Learning Outcomes 1. Students will develop content knowledge in biology, chemistry, physics, and Earth/space science that is directly applicable to middle and high school level science teaching. 2. Students will integrate fundamental concepts across a range of science disciplines and recognize the relevance of science to the broader world. 3. Students will acquire reasoning and problem-solving skills through coursework and participation in authentic scientific investigations that are appropriate for future secondary level educators. Integrated Science Teacher Education Major (64-70 credits) CH 221, 222, 223 General Chemistry (15) ES 201, 202, 203 Principles of Geology (12) Choose one of the following sequences (12) PH 201, 202, 203 General Physics PH 211, 212, 213 General Physics with Calculus ES 331 Introduction to Oceanography (3) ES 390 Basic Meteorology (3) GS 351 Elements of Astronomy (3) Choose one upper-division Biology course (4-5) BI 314 Introductory Genetics BI 321 Systematic Field Botany BI 324 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy BI 330 Plant Physiology BI 357 General Ecology BI 361 Marine Ecology Choose one upper-division Chemistry course (3-4) CH 310 Environmental Geochemistry CH 320 Introduction to Forensic Science CH 360 Nuclear Chemistry CH 361 Energy, Resources and the Environment CH 371 Environmental Chemistry CH 412 Inorganic Chemistry of the Environment Choose one upper-division Earth Science course (3-4) ES 341 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems ES 354 Volcanoes and Earthquakes ES 453 Geology of the Pacific Northwest ES 454 Volcanology ES 473 Environmental Geology ES 491 Stratigraphy and Depositional Systems Upper-division electives in science (6-9) Choose two additional upper-division courses from one of the content areas listed above (Biology, Chemistry, or Earth Science). Note: The sequence BI 211, 212, 213 must be completed to fulfill the LACC Laboratory Science requirement. The B.S. requires CS 195, MTH 112, and MTH 243. The B.A. requires CS 122, MTH 112, and completion of the third term of the second year of a foreign language course.

For Dean Review only:
How and when will the effectiveness of these changes be determined?
How and when will the effectiveness of these changes be determined? The proposed changes to the Integrated Science Teacher Education Major will go into effect during the 2014-15 academic year, pending approval. The effectiveness of these changes will be determined via an evaluation plan that includes the following strategies: (1) formative embedded assessment, (2) summative assessment of the degree program, and (3) survey-based tracking of current students and graduates. The evaluation strategies described below will commence during the 2014-15 academic year and will be conducted annually. 1. Formative Embedded Assessment: Formative assessment of the Integrated Science Teacher Education Major will dovetail with current Embedded Assessment Strategies that are annually undertaken in a number of courses that are part of the degree program. Overall, these strategies specifically link student performance on course activities to program outcomes. A variety of methods and course activities are used for embedded assessment, including inquiry-based lab exercises, field studies, writing assignments, active-learning exercises, oral group presentations, and multi-media work samples. These types of embedded assessment strategies will continue to be conducted on an annual basis. 2. Summative Assessment of Degree Program: A standardized exit exam model will be explored by the Integrated Science faculty members. The state of Oregon teacher licensure exam with an emphasis in Earth and physical science content that is required for all Integrated Science teaching candidates will probably be the best instrument to use for this particular degree. This strategy is currently under development and will be implemented as resources allow. 3. Survey-Based Tracking of Current Students and Graduates: Integrated Science students and graduates will be tracked through several different mechanisms including the collection of numeric data and the utilization of Alumni Surveys. The types of numeric data to be collected will include course enrollments, grade distributions, and time to degree completion. These data will be provided by the WOU Office of Institutional Research. To more comprehensively gauge alumni satisfaction, formal surveys of Integrated Science graduates will be conducted to help guide us in refining the degree program. Alumni surveying methodologies will be developed in collaboration with the College of Education and the Office of Institutional Research. These types of strategies are works in progress and will be implemented as time and resources allow.

Approval Queue

Step	Approver	Decision	Timestamp
1 - Department	Jeffrey Templeton	Approved	October 15 2013
2 - Division	Steve Taylor	Approved	October 17 2013
3 - Division Curriculum	Michael Ward	Approved	October 23 2013
4 - Library Dean	-----------------	Approved	October 23 2013
5 - Curriculum Committee	Thaddeus Shannon	Approved	November 20 2013
6 - Faculty Senate	Thaddeus Shannon	Approved	November 22 2013
7 - Dean	Susanne Monahan	Approved	November 26 2013
8 - Provost	Stephen Scheck	Approved	November 27 2013
9 - President	LouAnn Vickers	Approved	December 02 2013

Attached Files:

Integrated Science Program_Change Cover Letter.pdf		Download
Integrated Science Program_Change Full Document.pdf		Download